The micro-SUV segment has been given a fresh lease of life with the entry of all-new Maruti Suzuki S-Presso and Renault Kwid facelift. Both the vehicles were launched in September in a matter of just two days, whether coincidentally or purposefully, is a different question. Belonging to the voluminous entry-level segment, the Maruti S-Presso costs Rs 3.69 lakh – Rs 4.91 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi) whereas the Renault Kwid facelift is tagged in the price bracket of Rs 2.83 lakh – Rs 4.84 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi). With a budget of around 4-6 lakhs, buyers are sure to get confused between the two. To clear the picture, let’s find out which one of the two is more value for money.
Tyre Comparison
The Maruti Suzuki S-Presso gets two tyre options. The smaller one with 145/80 R 13 measurement is for the lower trims like STD and LXi, whereas the bigger 165/70 R 14 tyre comes as standard with VXi and VXi+ variants. On the contrary, the Renault Kwid facelift across variants runs on 165/70 R 14 radial tyres.
Dimensions Head On
| Measurements | Maruti S-Presso | Renault Kwid Facelift | Difference |
| Length | 3565 mm | 3731 mm | 166 mm |
| Width | 1520 mm | 1579 mm | 59 mm |
| Height | 1549 mm – 1564 mm | 1474 mm – 1490 mm | S-Presso is taller |
| Wheelbase | 2380 mm | 2422 mm | 42 mm |
| Boot space | 270 litres | 279 litres | 9 mm |
| Ground Clearance | 180 mm | 184 mm | 4 mm |
The Renault Kwid facelift is bigger, wider and has a longer wheelbase here which should account for better space inside the cabin. It also gets a marginally bigger boot and ground clearance. The only aspect where Maruti Suzuki S-Presso takes lead is the height.
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Exterior Face-Off
Comparing the front fascia, the S-Presso doesn’t stand anywhere near the modern and composed Renault Kwid facelift’s front fascia. While the S-Presso gets Vitara Brezza-inspired design with sleek grille and boxy headlamps on its either side, the Kwid facelift has been adorned with a redesigned grille, two-tier headlamps, prominent fog lamp housing and smart lower grille.
The side profile of the S-Presso makes you feel like it’s a car built for off-roading thanks to the thick border of black cladding all around. However, small tyre wheels in large wheel arches are an eyesore. The upright stance is evident from sides as well. You might see a Maruti Suzuki Ignis in the S-Presso, especially from the sides, the major difference is that the Ignis looked and felt premium. On the other hand, the Renault Kwid facelift continues to retain its original architecture on sides except for the addition of new wheel covers.
At the rear, the S-Presso gets an upright stance with the chubby rear bumper and rectangular tail lamps with curvy edges – strikingly similar to the Kwid. The only change to the rear of the Kwid facelift is that the tail lamps have been given LED treatment.
Interior Confrontation
Step inside the cabin of the Maruti S-Presso and you are likely to be surprised by its MINI-like circular centre console which gets the instrument cluster details along with Suzuki’s 7-inch SmartPlay infotainment unit. With the unusual positioning of the instrument cluster, it takes a while before you get used to it. Seats are positioned higher so you get a commanding view of the road. This is true for rear passengers as well. However, 6-foot+ passengers will find it a little difficult as they would have a limited view of the road. It’s best suited for 4 people as it isn’t too wide to embrace 3 at the rear.
The Kwid facelift, on the other hand, continues with similar cabin set-up as its predecessor albeit minor tweaks. The highlight of the Kwid’s cabin is, of course, the bigger, 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with updated controls. The dark theme has gone a bit darker giving its cabin a more upmarket feel. The piano black touches on the central console, leather-wrapped steering, 4-way adjustable driver seat, sporty orange and white fabric seat upholstery, redesigned LED digital instrument cluster all to add to the premium quotient of the Kwid.
Mechanicals Under Hood
The Maruti Suzuki S-Presso shares the BS6 compliant 1.0-litre petrol engine of the Maruti Alto K10. The engine puts out max power of 68 bhp at 5500 rpm and peak torque of 90 Nm at 3500 rpm. It is linked to a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AMT gearbox. While the manual S-Presso returns 21.7 kmpl, the AMT delivers 21.4 kmpl of fuel efficiency.
The Renault Kwid facelift, quite surprisingly, continues with the same old BS4 compliant 1.0-litre engine (we have skipped the 0.8-litre version for this comparison). It generates the utmost power of 68 PS at 5500 rpm and higher torque of 91 Nm at 4250 rpm. The Kwid facelift is offered with both transmission options – 5-speed manual and 5-speed AMT. The Kwid manual gets a healthy 23.01 kmpl of fuel mileage whereas the automatic variants deliver 24.04 kmpl.
In-Cabin Appointments
The S-Presso gets a whole bunch of convenient features such as AC, reclining and sliding front seats, remote keyless entry, front power windows, internally adjustable ORVMs, 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, Bluetooth, steering mounted audio and voice control, twin-chamber headlamps, full wheel covers and high seating position.
The updated Kwid, on the other hand, has added a few more to its long list of features. It gets traffic assistance mode, AC, rear seats with foldable backrest, sliding and reclining front seats, 12V power socket at rear, fast USB charger, optional rear power windows, intermittent front wiper & auto wiping while washing, 8-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, Push to talk (voice recognition), digital tachometer and many more.
Safety Gears
Being from the entry-level segment both the cars get adequate safety features if not excess. The S-Presso is packed with driver-side airbag, ABS with EBD, seat belt reminder with buzzer, reverse parking sensors, speed alert system, immobiliser, childproof rear door lock, speed-sensitive auto door lock, centre door locking, passenger-side airbag, seat belt pre-tensioner with force limiter, door ajar and low fuel warning in the touchscreen unit.
The Renault Kwid facelift gets new reverse parking camera with guidelines, driver airbag, optional passenger airbag, ABS with EBD, seat belt reminder, speed alert system, rear ELR seatbelts, child lock, remote keyless entry and central locking are offered among others.
Pricing
The Maruti Suzuki S-Presso is tagged in the price bracket of Rs 3.69 lakh – Rs 4.91 lakh (ex-showroom New Delhi) whereas the Renault Kwid facelift falls in the range of Rs 2.93 lakh – Rs 5.02 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi).
Verdict
The Maruti Suzuki S-Presso may look appealing in pictures but when seen in the flesh, it looks like a toy car with overgrown proportions – the small tyre size and larger wheel arches is to be blamed for this.
On the flip side, the Kwid was always a proportionate car with fabulous style; the facelift has further pushed its appeal. On the feature and safety front, both the cars are neck and neck. When it comes to the interior space, the Kwid scores full marks.
Hence, we can safely rate Renault Kwid facelift as a better product compared to the Maruti Suzuki S-Presso.
